ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mine — for digging
  12. content — the amount
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pound — a weight
  21. content — happy
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. charge — in control
  24. content — videos and posts

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com